To The Day My Heart Stops
by DarkestAphelion
Summary: 16-year-old Hatori was so lonely, it felt like he would stop of sadness. But he could take care of himself. He'd get into medical school, escape the Sohma cage. He wouldn’t let Shigure and Ayame, those idiots, try to help him.
1. The other and spare: introduction

**A/N:**

My second Furuba fic. This is a serious one. Written just cause I like Hatori that much : )

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**Disclaimer:**Well... I'm guessing some people would say I don't own Furuba. And I guess I would agree with them :: sob::

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**To the Day My Heart Stops :** _A Fruits Basket Fanfiction _by _Aif_

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**Chapter 1 : The other; the spare**

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Hatori flung down his pen and stared wildly at the notebook pages covered with neat, precise writing. There, the November study guide was done- all 400 problems.

"Maybe I _can_ get into medical school." He picked up his pen again, unfolding the newsletter cutout with the solutions. 1... _san_.... 2... _shi_... 3... _shi_... 4... _ichi_... Fifteen minutes later, he put his head down in disgust. 374 problems right. Horrible. Awful. Absolutely... absolutely... awful. A failure.

"I can't get into Tokyo University like this," Hatori whispered. "I can't do this. _Kami_... a month. I can't do this." A few hot tears crowded at the corners of his eyes, and he wiped his hand across his face impatiently. "Damn."

"_Oi!"_

"_Oi, that was my ball, kuso hebi! You know not- hey, what the fuck are you doing? That was in, damnnit!"_

Hatori groaned. Seventeen, and they were still at it, playing_ badminton_, for God's sake. It was like they didn't have any _work_ to do. And Shigure was older than him, too. He should know better. They should both know better.

They should _know better_ than to fool around shouting at the top of their _damn voices_ when Hatori was_ trying_ to _study_.

"Uhn." Hatori punched his desk in frustration. It was no use going out there, since neither of them gave a fuck about studying. Shigure, that bastard, could look at a page of notes once and score perfectly on a test. And Ayame had never cared. Shigure didn't even think about his future. He didn't even care about supporting himself, and he was always miles cleverer and quicker than Hatori.

"Damn."

He could tell them to shut up. It wasn't like they didn't listen to him... for the first hour or two. But the Sohma compound was only so big, and most of it was so quiet... their idiotic voices could have carried for miles.

Hatori picked up his physiology book again.

-

"_Hatori-kun, come play badminton with us!"_

"_Yeah! You're the best. Team with me and I'll beat that damn dog for once!"_

"_Beat -who-?"_

"_Um..." Hatori said. "Well, no. Sorry. I have to study."_

"_It's Sunday," stated Shigure. "Don't waste our only day off by doing schoolwork again. It's the beginning of the semester, and anyway, you don't need to study, Hatori-kun."_

"_Yes I do," Hatori muttered._

_Shigure laughed. "Yeah? You're at the head of your class. Of course, year 3 doesn't have it as bad as us, but that's the more reason that you should enjoy your free time while you still have some!"_

"_You two have plenty of free time," Hatori pointed out._

"_That's true. But that's because Aya is too stupid and I'm too genius to care."_

"_Who's too what?"_

"_Oh, you know I love you, Aya-kun."_

_Hatori scowled at the retreating figure of the boys as they walked off to the athletic courts. Rackets over their shoulders, and Shigure was tossing a ball around. Hands in each others' back pockets._

-

Two hours later, Hatori sat up as his stomach growled loudly. He ignored it and stared at the clock in disbelief. Six. It was six already? But it was just four fifteen... did he fall asleep?! Hatori swore and stood up. Yes, he did fall asleep, didn't he... two hours wasted. What another stupid day, after all.

He quickly cleared off the table. The other boys would be coming home soon, and they would make fun of him if they saw this mess. _Tori-kun, what's this? Hatori, you're still studying? Aw... so kawaii, he's just like a little scholar..._

"I'm not little," he muttered. "Sixteen is damn well old enough to take care of myself."

He heard a struggle at the door, and a few seconds later the front of the house slid open. "We're home, Hatori-kun!" yelled Ayame. "Miss me?" he added.

"Not a chance," replied Hatori, strolling in the front room. He smiled at them. "Did you two have fun?"

-

Hungry. Maybe if he stared at this magazine ad long enough, it would make him full again. But... he shouldn't eat so much, anyway. Hatori examined himself in front of his full-length mirror. Well, no visible change. But it really felt like he was gaining weight. All the schoolwork, so he never had time to exercise. Just sat in front of his books or his computer all day. Shigure and Ayame both liked to make junk food. Hatori had suggested, several times, that they try things like _vegetables _sometimes and maybe not play with their deep-fry pot so much...

Hatori frowned at his reflection and slid his shirt back on. Well, no help if he was ugly. He sighed. Shigure was yelling something from downstairs.

"Oi, Tori-kun, you didn't cook dinner!" Shigure yelled from the kitchen.

Hatori walked in. "Was I supposed to?" he asked mildly.

"Tori-kun, you're so dense," Shigure laughed. "Zone in once in a while, won't you? You don't even remember that awful shrimp you made yesterday?"

"Gure-kun!" Ayame walked in with his arms held open. "Hold me, Shigure-kun."

"I'm scolding Tori-kun," Shigure protested, but he ran over and gave Ayame a kiss anyway. "Tori didn't make dinner, and I'm all hungry..." he pouted.

Ayame grinned. "Sorry, Tori-kun. Shigure-kun, it was my turn to make dinner last night. Tori-kun was just helping me, since I had a student council meeting that ran _ever _so late and..."

"Ahem," coughed Hatori. "Dinner?"

"Oh, oh yes, see, I bought some bento, shigure-kun. Oh, I'll just heat it up right away!" Ayame waltzed off.

Half an hour later, the microwave sounded for the last time and Hatori took out his dinner. He was starving but, true to form, Ayame and Shigure had quickly grabbed the first two bento. He opened the box and sniffed. Mussels. Disgusting... and the date overdue. Ayame probably just grabbed the cheapest boxes. Hatorikneeled down at the low table. Shigure was slurping up his dinner.

"You're disgusting," Hatori commented.

Shigure looked up. "Thanks." He licked a noodle off the side of his cheek. "But Hatori-kun-" –slurp- "I talked to Akito-san today."

Hatori glared. "And?"

"Well, didn't you want to get out of living with us?" asked Shigure. "Since I was there, I went ahead and asked... I thought he might be in a good mood..."

"Akito-san likes Shigure-kun the best, anyway," muttered Ayame.

"And I asked everyone what we were going to do about university."

"_And?_"

"And... ah... Akito-san said that he doesn't want us going out of town. He said that we don't need to go to university anyway, we're as smart as we'll ever be- _oi_!" Shigure stood up in surprise as he examined the fresh stain in his shirt.

Hatori had thrown his chopsticks at him.

-

Lying on the roof that night, Hatori wondered why he had been surprised.

He had cooled off from that afternoon, but that didn't mean he could get angry again. He knew Shigure had meant well... and Ayame was right, Shigure was Akito's favorite- of the moment, anyway. So it probably should be Shigure who brought up any new questions.

But he had thought all this out. And this was too early. And this would make Akito watch him even more closely. It would make him wonder... exactly why Hatori was doing so much studying. That his friends weren't doing.

Damn.

Hatori gazed at the brightest star. He could almost imagine himself surrounded only by an inky blue universe and a billion stars. No Akito. No Sohmas... just Hatori. Hatori shifted uncomfortably and thought about the other reason he was up on the roof. He considered it again, and cursed to himself. Then he lifted up the corner of the loose roof tile.

The one above Ayame's bedroom.

Hatori closed his eyes briefly, but opened them again whenShigure shouted and Ayame yelped. Shigure was propped above Ayame, dipping his head down to kiss the silver-haired boy, who groaned under him. After a while, Shigure flipped over to lie beside Ayame. Ayame ran his fingers over his lips, laughing as Shigure opened his mouth and two of his fingers slipped in. He giggled as Shigure sucked on them. His other hand slipped down in between their bodies.

Hatori gently set down the edge of the tile. He quickly scooted off the roof, and landed with a gentle thud on the dirt of the courtyard. He swallowed hard.

His mouth felt very dry.

-

**tbcontinued.**

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**A/N:**

Ooookay. That just came out. Really. I have -no- idea. Really.

OK. So, Hatori doesn't _really _hate Aya and Gure. He just feels that way... a lot... because he's lonely, and depressed, and it looks to him like life is all just fine and dandy for them. But being Tori he won't ask for help, because he thinks he should somehow be able to help himself :: pats :

Well, ok, Aya and Shigure. I haven't decided if I'm going to throw Hatori in there, too. Maybe I'll find someone else for him. After all, I've always liked the idea of Kazuma and Hatori... haha, just kidding.

:: dodges the tomatoes ::

Yay!and review, please?


	2. Attraction distorted: hentai cousins

**:: a few notes**

Hehheh, so I realized it would prolly make more sense to call him Haa-kun, instead of Tori-kun. I think "Tori" sounds cuter though : D but I guess it would be weird to see Tori-kun. Ok, so let's call him Hatori-kun from now on, ok?

Oh yeah, and it actually kind of seems to me like Tori is older than Aya and Gure. Maybe cos he's more responsible. But it makes more sense for him to be younger in the fic.

On to the damaging ficcage!! : P

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**Chapter 2 : **Attraction distorted

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"Hatori-kun?"

Hatori opened his eyes and blinked at his book. Great… he must have closed his eyes a little too long that time. He'd been up since five, but he was still blinking the sleep out of his eyes…

"Kazuma-san!" Hatori bolted up. How embarrassing to be caught still in bed.

"I'm glad to see you're so energetic this early," said Kazuma. He smiled at Hatori. "Hard at work, I see."

Hatori flushed. It seemed weak to do any kind of quiet studies before the marital-arts master. "Just… some reading for school," he muttered.

"Oh?" Kazuma flipped up the cover of the book. "'Advanced organic chemistry for university level'… glad to see that they're improving the standards of secondary schools these days, Hatori-kun."

"Ano…"

"You never have to lie to me, Hatori-kun."

"I- I… ok."

"Hatori-kun," said Kazuma. "I'll support you, whatever you decide to do, whether it's staying with the Sohmas or going off to university. But… be careful, ne?" He patted Hatori's shoulder. "Remember, whatever you know, Akito-san will know."

Hatori stared back at his teacher. He nodded.

"Ano…" muttered Kazuma, "oh, why I came up here in the first place. Aya-kun, Gure-kun and Ritsu-chan are eating breakfast. Would you like to join them?"

"Ritsu-chan?" asked Hatori. "What's he doing here?"

"His mother brought him over this morning," said Kazuma, as Hatori swept up his sheets. "Apparently Akito-san has been berating her quite harshly lately…"

"Mmm-hmm."

"It's not good," Kazuma continued. "Ritsu-chan doesn't quite have the disposition for martial arts…" He stopped abruptly and smiled down (1) at Hatori again. "Sorry, Hatori-kun. You should go down before they finish off my leftovers."

Hatori grinned and bowed before he jogged off. Somehow, even when he meddled, Kazuma hardly ever rubbed him the wrong way.

-

Ritsu, he noticed, was sitting there, looking very timid and very hungry. Shigure and Ayame, he noticed, were feeding each other and talking up half the bench and most of the food. "Act your age," Hatori snapped as he sat down. "Can't you see that Ritsu-chan is uncomfortable?'

"Ha- Hatori-kun…" Ritsu whispered. "Sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry you had to speak for me."

Hatori smiled at the twelve-year-old as he snatched the pot from Shigure. "That's a very pretty dress, Ritsu-chan," he said politely. "Is it new?"

Ritsu smoothed down his lavender ruffles and barely smiled. "Yes… Tou-san bought it for me… but… but… Akito-san got mad. He made fun of me… well… I… never mind."

"You shouldn't worry, Ritsu-chan," said Kazuma as he walked in. "I promised your parents I wouldn't let you worry."

_So that's why the kid is here_, thought Hatori. He snorted as he brought his tea to his lips. Interesting kid. In fact… a prime example of just how sickening the Sohma influence could be.

"Give me the water," he told Shigure.

"You should be more polite, Hatori-kun," said Kazuma.

"Yeah, but he's not," said Shigure. "Never is. He's a rude little bastard, aren't you, Hatori-kun?"

"Language," Kazuma said mildly.

Hatori silently steamed. Damn Shigure. Always trying… no, not even trying, since he did it naturally… always naturally making Hatori look bad besides him. Who else would have imagined that perfect Hatori Sohma was jealous of his flake of a cousin? A cousin who could be perfect, if he was just… half as hardworking as Hatori.

Not that Hatori was really jealous of _Shigure_, or anything.

-

"Ha-to-ri and Ri-tsu chan, ka-wa-ii..." Shigure sang to himself.

Hatori hit him. "Want to say that again, you damn dog?"

"Didn't say anything," Shigure protested. "I didn't say a single thing, so I can't imagine why you…"

Hatori punched him in the stomach.

The boys were sitting on the roots of an old oak tree, one of the many in the spacious park inside the Sohma compound. While Shigure clutched at his chest dramatically and pretended to die, Hatori ignored him and looked around the park. Not very many people today, on a Tuesday afternoon. Just fine, for the jyuunshi to be about.

"Oh-oh… that tickles! Oh- oh-"

Hatori smirked as he caught sight of Ayame, giggling and prone on the ground as two little zodiac members tickled him mercilessly. The little white head let up first, deciding to tackle the ball of yellow fluff instead of the snake. Ayame drew a breath and propped himself up, watching the two play.

"No fair!" wailed Momiji, as Haru pinned him down. "Aya-san, Haru-chan is bigger than me, it's not fa- hehehehe- not- hehe- not- Haru-chan, stop it!"

The other boy stared at Ayame blankly. "What?"

Ayame laughed and patted Haru on the head. "How very cute. You look just like a little calf."

The six-year-olds wandered off, and Ayame rejoined Shigure and Hatori. "Whew," he sighed. "Those kids sure tire me out. Wish I had that much energy!"

"You do," said Shigure.

"I'm surprised you like playing with them so much," Hatori remarked. "The way you ignore your own little brother."

Ayame raised an eyebrow. "Yuki-kun is none of your business."

"He's… how old?" continued Hatori. "Seven, right? That's a nice age."

"Hatori-kun, I'm warning you, don't."

"Hmm? Oh… I get it. Snakes _are_ rather cold-blooded, now, aren't they?"

"Hatori-kun." Shigure touched his arm.

"I remember last time I saw him was at New Year's… Yuki-kun was in tears after his dance, wasn't he? It's too bad his big brother was _laughing at him_."

"Stop it," said Ayame, avoiding Hatori's smirk. "S-stop it. STOP IT, you dragon bastard!"

He flung himself up. "Stop it."

Shigure and Hatori watched as the teenager stormed away. "Tori-kuun, you shouldn't have done that," said Shigure gently.

"Done _what_?" snapped Hatori. "Damn snake brought it on himself."

Shigure shrugged. "Maybe… but… Hatori-kun, what got into you?"

"Hn?" Hatori blinked at his cousin. He sighed. "I don't know."

-

Hatori elected to stay another night in Kazuma's dojo, instead of following the older boys home like he usually did. In the quiet of the martial-arts courtyard, he practiced. Shigure and Ayame didn't know it, but he had asked Kazuma if he could create his own martial-arts technique using his favorite aspects of akkido, karate and ninjitsu.

He wasn't _soft_. He wanted to be able to take care of himself- to live by himself, like Kazuma with a summer dojo in the mountains.

Kazuma. Hatori smiled fondly. He was only ten years older than the boys, but it was like he was their father. _A damn better father, too,_ Hatori thought.

"_My wife is more important to me than this dragon-bastard."_

"_Dear…"_

"_Don't worry, I'll take care of it for you. I'll take it far away… I'll make sure I put it far away…"_

"_Dear, dear husband…"_

"_Yes, I'll put it far away."_

He completed another rolling kick.

Hatori turned his head toward the house when he heard a telephone ring. For him? Apparently not, because Kazuma talked into it at length. Guiltily, Hatori snuck over to the thin paper door. Well… if it had to do with him… besides, Kazuma sounded oddly serious. And nervous.

"Y-yes. That will be fine."

A mumbled voice on the other end.

"No, please don't tell him."

Shouting.

"Please- I've already adopted the boy, so there's no need to shout."

-

The voices continued for another few minutes, but Hatori left his post and went back to practicing. He only vaguely wondered if Kazuma was talking about him.

-

**:: a few more notes**

1 Kazuma is taller than Hatori! Aww… kawaii :hugs: LOL. I just love that, cos Hatori's the tallest now that he's an adult :D

Oh yeah: I don't know if Hatori's anorexic, I don't know if he's gay. I'm just kind of… making it up as I go alon. So maybe if you want to see something in particular you could tell me in a –cough- review –cough-

Ritsu isn't so OCD apologetic yet, did you notice? And oh, oh, guess who Kazuma is adopting! Btw, I have no idea what Hatori's parents are like soo… if they're different, gomen! Please don't tell any spoilers, though, just say I'm wrong or something : )

Thanks, readers !!


	3. Pleasing Akito san: bad circumstances

**:: notes**

I realized how corny the title sounds :sweatdrop: I was going to translate it into Japanese but then… I was lazy and I didn't. Hehheh. I didn't want to get the grammar wrong either. Butok anyway it's not just some corny soft porn novel, it actually has to do with the end.

Yay, the end, I thought of it. I'm weird, huh? Okok, chap3…!

And remember folks, Hatori's not an adult yet. He's still a kid, so he doesn't know everything in the world!

**-**

**Chapter 3** : Pleasing Akito-san

-

"Hatori-kun?" Kazuma poked his head through the doorway. "Are you ready?"

"No," muttered Hatori.

Kazuma smiled patiently. "All right. Let's go, then."

-

Their little blue car easily drove through the gates and stopped in front of the largest house in the compound. Hatori noticed some women already hurrying out to meet them. They were always tiresome, he thought. Akito may have only been seven, but the boy already knew just how much the helpless and fawning bothered the rest of the world.

He brushed away the attendants as they tried to take his coat. He only felt sorry for the weak-minded people in the world.

"Hatori-kun."

Hatori looked up. There was only one person in the world with that thin, dangerous voice. "Akito-san." He knelt. "You shouldn't be up, Akito-san," he said, carefully studying the ground.

Akito laughed. "What are you, my doctor? Don't tell me what and what not I should be doing."

"Yes, Akito-san." It was more important, Hatori told himself, to please the family head now. To please him until he took his damned eye off of him.

"Well? Come in!"

Hatori followed the boy through long, mute corridors. When they reached Akito's room, Akito flung himself down on his bed, hard. He looked at Hatori with a smirk, daring him to comment. Hatori declined the unspoken challenge.

He mentally dozed as Akito started to talk with Kazuma. It wasn't his place to listen to the conversations of adults.

"Hatori-kun."

Hatori blinked and straightened. "Yes, Akito-san."

"You want to leave me."

"Akito-san?" Hatori carefully kept his eyes low. He could feel the boy's glare shoot through him, and his heart felt cold with fear.

"Don't act _innocent_, Hatori-kun. You think that just because you'll soon be an adult, that means that you can act like an adult and live like an adult." Akito leaned towards Hatori and grasped his chin with his thin fingers, forcing him to look up. "You want to go to _university_, and then you'll think you're better than me."

"No, Akito-san…"

"Why can't you be a _good_ man like your cousins are? I guess it's in the nature of dogs to listen to their masters, and snakes will slither low-belly towards whoever takes care of them, but even _little bastard_ dragons want to be big men and take care of themselves."

"I would never leave you, Akito-san."

"Damn you! Damn your lying, bastard ways! You _won't _ever leave me, Hatori! You _will never_ leave me."

Hatori internally sighed. There was nothing to do. "Yes, Akito-san."

-

Kazuma opened the paper door for Hatori, and slid it closed behind them when they exited the doorway. "Someone provoked Akito-san," he said conversationally.

"Shigure," Hatori muttered.

Kazuma looked sideways at him. "Really."

"That damn dog," whispered Hatori. "That- shit, even out here I'm not allowed to say it, am I? We're still in Akito's house, and he'll hear it somehow. He knows everything that goes on in the Sohma house, Kazuma-san. And I live here- I can't ever escape it."

"I know," said Kazuma. "Let's go outside."

He waited until they were out of the large stone gates before continuing. "I'm sorry you had to be born in the jyuunishi," he said. "You're very talented, Hatori-kun."

Hatori snorted.

"Really," Kazuma said with a smile. "Maybe you haven't noticed it, but you're a natural at everything you try to do. And- " –he caught Hatori's protest- "the only reason you feel so frustrated at your studies is because you are, most likely, lacking in much of the background knowledge you need."

"How do you know anything about school?" Hatori asked hollowly.

Kazuma inclined one shoulder. "Your friends worry about you."

"My friends?" Hatori rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure."

-

That night, Shigure and Ayame stayed up late when Hatori didn't come home at his usual time. When he finally returned, they pretended to be busy fighting each other's spaceships on their old Atari set.

"Have fun at Kazuma-san's?" Shigure asked with a grin, as he blasted one of Ayame's planets. "You've never stayed over for more than a weekend before."

"It was the usual," replied Hatori. His stomach growled, and he looked towards the bare kitchen. "I don't suppose you two made anything for dinner?"

"We ate at school," said Ayame.

Hatori scowled. "Fine." He stalked towards the kitchen and banged around the cabinets. "I know there's nothing in the refrigerator, but the two of you could have at least picked up some dry food."

"Hey, Tori-kun, relax," Shigure called.

Hatori pulled his head out of the cupboard. "I'm _hungry_," he replied.

"Yeah. We ordered some takeout for you, right, Aya-kun? It's in the fridge. You can heat it up."

"Oh." Hatori opened the refrigerator. "Um… thanks."

Shigure nodded. "Did you really think we would let you starve, Hatori-kun? As your older cousins we have a solemn and sworn duty to protect you!"

Hatori sighed. "Well… you've never done it before."

But by then, Shigure and Ayame were no longer paying attention.

-

**A/N:** Short chapter! Gomen…


	4. Improper disquiet: Kazuma disappoints

**:: notes**

-

I realized, upon re-reading, that it's really, really hard to follow the time in this fic. Gomen! Well, let's re-iterate. The first chapter starts at the beginning of the spring semester, that's in January or so (I'll make it like in America…). The second chapter is probably a few weeks later, and the third chapter takes place right after that.

I'll try to be better about it! So… onward… long chapter this time! To make up for the short one.

-

**Chapter 4** : Improper disquiet

-

Taking into account both of their busy lives- it was no surprise that Hatori slowly fell off his regular martial arts lessons as the pressure of school increased, and Kazuma didn't nag after him. The teacher felt, anyway, that Hatori was more of an adult than a child, and should thus be able to make his own priorities.

Shigure and Ayame continued their martial arts lessons. They were poorer students than Hatori… and despite being ever-so-busy seniors, they had more time to spare.

Time enough to play- and plenty of play at that. Their loud and annoying voices interrupted Hatori often, but they were never before quite as annoying as they were on the way home on February 14th. Hatori had his head buried in a book, and was valiantly trying to ignore their voices. Finally, though, he could ignore them no longer.

"Gure-kun, Aya-kun, please _shut up_!"

"Eh?" Shigure looked up from his bags in surprise. "Why… Hatori-kun, you wouldn't happen to be jealous would you? After all, we're just quietly examining our nice Valentine's gifts!"

"The two of you never _quietly_ do anything," muttered Hatori.

"Why, we can't help it, Tori-kun," said Ayame. "We're just so excited to have so much chocolate from our adoring girls and male fans!"

"Male fans?" Shigure and Hatori asked together.

Ayame raised his eyebrows. "Of course! Not counting the girls in our class, Fujita-kun from 4-D and Hiroshi-kun, who eats lunch with me on Wednesdays, gave me chocolate."

"Waii, Aya-kun is so lucky!" exclaimed Shigure. "I received chocolate from only females. My incredible boy-charms must not be working!"

Hatori listened to the two of them chatter on as he tried to be interested in the history of post-reconstruction Japan. He sidestepped a telephone pole and almost tripped over a manhole before putting away his book in frustration.

"The two of you just can't be serious about _anything_, can you? Not even affection?"

Shigure and Ayame looked at him blankly; turning to each other, they shared a long, deep look. At this, Hatori mentally braced himself for another idiotic comment. But instead, Shigure finally spoke quite solemnly.

"Tori-kun, we don't want to be serious," he said. "There's no point at all."

-

All throughout the next week, Shigure seemed to be quite infatuated with one girl in Hatori's class who had, for Valentine's Day, given him nothing at all. Mayu-chan, as Shigure so affectionately called her, was a serious girl, pretty with a long blonde ponytail and sharp features.

She was very intelligent, as well- Shigure annoyed her immensely.

Hatori bluntly resisted Shigure's hints that he should help a "friend in need" and set him up with someone whose name Hatori knew only because she raised her hand in class so often. In fact, Hatori didn't see why Shigure wanted a _girl_ at all- and he was tempted to ask him. But then, Shigure would wonder how he knew.

"Tori-kun is just mad because he didn't get any chocolate. Tori-kun, I bet you would get lots of chocolate if you were just a little friendlier. I bet you're not friendly at all in class! What can you expect?"

Hatori grimaced at the memory. What did Ayame know, anyway? It wasn't like he didn't try to be nice- he talked to his classmates when they had the group project, and he _tried_ not to roll his eyes too often, when they said stupid things.

The kids just didn't like him. Nothing Hatori could do.

There was a rap on his door, and Shigure looked in on him sitting at his desk. "Hatori-kun, are you wallowing again?"

"What?"

"It's Friday, it's seven in the evening… you know what that means, Tori-kun!" Shigure winked.

"Shigure-kun, do you have to make the most innocent suggestion sound so perverted?"

"Perverted?" Shigure's eyes were wide. "Why, Hatori-kun, I was reminding you that it's time for us to be going over to the main house to babysit the kids. What did you think I meant?"

"I know what you meant," Hatori said darkly. "Hey… I'm driving this time."

Shigure followed him outside. "Hatori-kun, you don't have your license."

"Neither do you," said Hatori. "I look as old as you do, and I'm more careful, so we're less likely to get arrested and thrown in jail."

He endured Shigure's whine all the way to the main house, actually wishing that Ayame was there, just so he could have distracted Shigure. Ayame didn't come- he was nowhere to be found. That probably meant that Yuki-chan was going to be there.

A few times a month, the adult Sohmas with children dropped them off at the main house and relaxed together in the presence of the head of the family. Any teenagers unlucky enough to be in town at the time were drafted into babysitter duty.

"Kureno-kun never has to babysit," complained Shigure.

"He did last month," Hatori reminded him. "But Akito-san prefers having him around him."

It was no bad chore, though Shigure kept Hatori reminded about how much fun nightclub action they were missing with people their own age. Ayame had figured out the perfect strategy, all right- when in doubt, go to the gay bars.

Hatori eased the car to a stop. The way in front was blocked by laughing, running children who were absolutely not looking where they were going.

"Hatori-nii-san! Shigure-san!"

The children of the zodiac crowded around the boys as they made their way inside. Ritsu was carrying two toddlers in his arms- gratefully, he handed Kisa to Shigure. The teenagers noted with some relief that Ritsu was back in boy's clothes. They exclusively supervised the zodiac children, and kept them separate- in case of an accidental hug.

"Would you like to play a video game with me, Haru-chan?" Hatori asked politely.

The six-year-old boy stared at him blankly. When Hatori was beginning to wonder if he had heard, Haru finally said, "No. But I'd like to play them with Yuki and Momiji."

"Me too?" a quiet voice asked.

Haru scowled at the little girl. "I already played with you today, Rin."

"Now, Haru-chan, is that nice?" asked Hatori.

"_Yes_," the boy answered defiantly. He received a rap on the head, and looked up. "Oh, hi, Gure-niisan."

"You should be nice to Rin-chan," Shigure scolded. "How do you expect to ever get a girlfriend if you're only mean to girls?"

"I don't want a yucky girlfriend," said Haru, as he made a face. But he grudgingly handed a game controller to Rin.

Hatori sighed. It was pretty pointless for them to babysit together, because the kids would mostly listen to Shigure (and Ayame, if he was there). He suspected that after seeing him erase the memories of their playmates a few times, the kids wanted to get back at him however they could.

He picked up the two-year-olds, Kisa and Hiro. "You guys don't hate me yet," he told them ruefully.

"Knock-knock."

The children looked up as Kazuma poked his head through the doorway. "You all look like you're having fun."

"Kazuma-san!" Hatori said happily.

"Hello, Hatori-kun," said Kazuma. "I haven't seen you around for a while."

Hatori flushed, and shrugged to cover his embarrassment. "I haven't had time," he muttered.

"Oh, that's quite fine!" Kazuma told him. "Actually, I was here for another reason today…" he looked around the room. "Let's see! Yuki … Haru, Momiji-chan, come here."

"Eh? Kazuma-sensei?" the boys asked.

A little voice spoke up behind Kazuma. "I don't _want _to play with them. They don't like me."

"Now, come on, Kyo…" Kazuma turned. "This is Kyo Sohma. He's the protector of the cat spirit, and I've recently adopted him as my son."

Hatori blinked. Oh.

"Congratulations, Kazuma-san!" said Shigure. "I hope he's only half the savage that we were."

The other children warily examined the new orange-haired outsider, who glared at them defiantly. Quite suddenly, the room burst into chatter as the children returned to what they had been doing- and Haru, digging in his heels, had pulled Kyo into their video game.

"Hatori-kun, show me where the others are," Kazuma said loudly, leading Hatori out of the room.

Hatori stared. "You know where they always socialize."

"Yes," said Kazuma. "But I don't know why you suddenly looked so troubled when I told you all that I had adopted Kyo."

"No reason."

"Hatori-kun…"

"What? I told you, no reason."

"Except I suddenly decide to adopt this boy who've you've only heard of before, even though I've said, many times, that I don't want the round-the-clock responsibilities of children, and I have enough as it is just teaching them?"

"Don't put words in my mouth," snapped Hatori.

"He's the cat, Hatori-kun."

"I know! I'm not jealous or anything, ok? Kazuma-san."

"All right. I understand."

"I don't need any helping chances, unlike some people."

"Hatori-kun." Kazuma looked at him seriously, and pulled the boy towards him. Hatori made a small noise of protest, which the teacher ignored. "I had hoped that you would have become relaxed in your judgment by now."

"I can't do that."

"Oh… I see," said Kazuma. He pulled away and looked at Hatori. "Yes… I understand…"

"Good."

"You'll be fine, Hatori-kun," said Kazuma. "I'm expecting that from you- in fact, I'll be disappointed if you amount to less than what you want to be."

Hatori snorted. "Did you forget what Akito-san said to us?"

"No," said Kazuma. "I also remember the very revealing conversation that he had with _me_, when you weren't paying attention." He sighed. "Akito-san is the family head, and one day he will be a very wise albeit stern leader. But not yet."

"We're in his house and you're saying that out loud?" asked Hatori. "I… well, I mean, it's not like he has _spies_ out, but still…"

"He's not omnipotent, Hatori-kun," said Kazuma. "He's a child. He's only nine."

To emphasize his point, he nodded into the room at Kagura, who for some reason seemed quite taken with Kyo (despite his violent howls about getting cooties). Hatori nodded to show he understood and Kazuma, pleased, wandered down the hallways towards the other adults.

But in all honestly, Hatori didn't feel quite sure he understood. Akito was different from other nine-year-olds. He was young, and he could be childish, but he wasn't a child.

-

**end chapter 4**

-

**:: notes**

I –think– you have to be in your twenties, and pay a few hundred dollars to get a driver's license. Not quite sure. And speaking of mistakes, I think I'll edit and re-upload ch. 2 and 3, if I have the time. They don't please me, and the format isn't consistent at all.

I admit I did that last ficpart so I could write about little Sohmas again. Sue me. At least I put Kyo in it, right? Also, I'm not quite positive if I got Kureno and Rin's ages right. Gomen again.


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